Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-04-15
= Nient Among Rattlcsnakes.


I've heard good many yarns about
snakes" said the same old hunter after he
had smoked pipe, "but can relate some
experiences to make your hair stand up.
As woodsman I didn't mind meeting with
rattle now and then, and I've got up in
the morning to shake em off my blankets,
but there was one time when l was really
broken up. 1t was on the Upper Pecos riv-
cr. New Mexico before the war. was in
the mountains TO the north Of where Fort
Sumner now stands. There was sort Of
trading post there then, and about compa-
nv Of soldiers were stationed there. When
YOU come TO talk about rattlesnakes you
wan TO 90 TO New Mexico to find the big
ges;. sassest, and hardest bitter of the lot.
He is always ready for row, and it's i'm
material TO MIN whether he rattles before he
strikes or waits ten minutes afterward.
Some rattlers will crawl away from you
sooner than have row. but these New
Mexico felels won't bulge until they are
whipped
~ was sort OF prospecting and hunting TO-
gether. and ii was midsummer | had tog-
gled up 6 sort Of shanty to keep the weather
out, and was getting along as well rs could
be expected when | began to notice
an increase in the number Of rattlers.
I'd come across one every hour or two,
instead Of one IN two days, and had sew
eral narrow escapes from being bitten.
Ii struck me that they we're also un-
usually sassy, but l went on with my work
and didn't get zoo much upsot ihad made
nv shanty against 6 sort Of cave in the side
o; rocky hill. and the fire by which cook.
ed my fodder and warmed myself was at
the door-a leete inside ofit, perhaps. On
the evening of which | am writing in par
lcular the weather changed cold, and |
built an unusually hot fire TO keep the chills
off, My bed was crossweys of the shanty,
and nearer the fire than the back end.
When lay down it was with my face to the
fire, and | had heavy Indian blanket COW
eringm from toes to ears. went to sleep d-
rectiv. and reckon ! should have put in
the whole night without break something
hadn't Wriggled over me and woke me up.
81 didn't fling off the blankets and rouse
up because had banished sleep. Your old
woodsman learns better than that the first
yesr of his experience. lay there wonder
inc what had aroused me, and feeling some
anxiety for fear bear had scented me out,
when there was another wriggle, and then
got q pointer 4 hiss or two warned me Of
the nature Of my visitors, and as soon as my
ewes GOT q bit used TO tae semi. darkness
got g shock 10 take my breath away. The
fire had burned down to q bed Of Goals, but
between me and it | could make out
dozen wrigglirg objects, and l knew
they were snakes. They had crept out of
the rocks behind me, attracted by the light
and warmth, and every one must have run
over my body. The space was getting
crowded, and tba presence Of the last COM
ers was apparently objected to. About the
time | got it through my head what was 60
ing on . brand fell down and made little
Blaze, and by this increased light [ counted
eleven old rattlcrs between me and the
fire. a few were coiled up and apparently
tslsing solid comfort, but others were run
ning about in 3 frisky way and now and
then coiling around each other
LAS I told you, I was covered clean up
except my head, and I'd have covered thst
M mighty quick if had dared to move rs
much as a finger. There was only one way
to get ou. of the shanty, and so long as the
snakes held that [ must remain quiet l
shut my eyes and tried to keep my mind or
something else, bat in less than five min
utes was sweating like 8 trotting horse,
aud it required all my nerve to keep from
springing UP. I could stand the situation
better with my eyes open, and pretty soon
was considerably encouraged by seeing most
of the snakes curl up close to the fire and
go to sleep. There were two big fellows,
however, who seemed determined to have
it ont and when they got the floor to them
selves they went at it TO kill. In their strug-
Gle they twice brushed my face, and twice
one of them chased the other over my body.
One of them was finally crowded into the
fire. auG he threw Up the sponge and ran
out doors. The victor curled himself up,
and for the next two hours not snake
moved. might, perhaps, have rolled my
self TO the back end of the shanty, but that
would not have bettered the situation.
When the snakes moved ii would be toward
their quarters in the rocks, and if / stood In
their way, it would be all day with me. L
could see the starlight sky over the smoul0-
eriug fire, and you can guess how anxious'
IL watched for the coming of DAY. 1t was
fully two hours before daylight came. Inc
fire had NY this tims died almost out, and
the snakes had begun TO grow uneasy one
after another uucoied himself and crept
lazily about, but not one made the least
move to retreat over my body or go out By
the front way.
81 was now suffering thousand torments
from having lain so long in one position
but dared not move even q finger. The
sweat trckled into my eyes and | hardly
dared to wink. It had been daylight three.
quarters of an hour when | felt that
had to make move, even if 1t was
into the laws of death. My only
show was to roll over toward the
back of the shanty and make grab for my
gun. If there were any snakes curled up
back of me was goner. If those IN front